Afghanistan Times
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All religions, civil movements and schools of thought consider women as the important part of the human society, emphasizing on their role in the development and flourishing in the life of human being. Women’s role is not only limited at home with children and house works.
The nations that have reached the peaks of development are obliged women’s efforts and tireless activities side by side the men.
Islam as the last and best religion is paying a great deal of respect to women and encourages them to education and social activities.
But women in Afghanistan have been marginalized and have not been allowed to emerge and show their skills and talents. The traditional society prevents women from their rights and they are forced to stay among the walls of the house. Women have to be hidden when a guest comes to our homes and even mentioning the names of female members of the families is a matter of shame.
Though there had been opportunities for women to take part in social works. For example, late king Amanullah who was an intellectual and modernist leader asked girls to go schools and take part in the society. He let his wife to accompany him in some development programs and his foreign visits. After him, the first president, Mohammad Dawood encouraged women to study and work in the government.
But women had to be imprisoned at home again for a long period of time especially during the Taliban rule who were opposing women’s education and work out of house.
The post-Taliban governments are apparently paying respect to women’s rights and ladies are allowed to be part of social, cultural and political bodies. Even they got the chance to rejoin the security forces after a longtime.
But this is not enough and we need to work more for the rights of our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters. Women’s rights are still violated and we hear of this almost every day mostly in the rural areas.
The government should be serious in meeting women’s problems and pave the ground for their basic rights. It should fight any challenges women are facing with such as deprivation of going to school, work outside the house, the right of choosing husbands, forced and child marriages and tens of others. Only symbolic steps by the leaders and government authorities like taking their wives to ceremonies and posting the pictures of their female family members in the social media is not enough.
